Chelo Kebab Koobideh

The story

Chelo Kebab Koobideh is a Iranian main with a clear sense of place. Koobideh is one of Iran’s most familiar kebabs, traditionally made by working seasoned minced meat onto broad flat skewers for charcoal grilling. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 500 g lamb mince
• 500 g beef mince
• 250 g onionfinely grated and squeezed dry
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground sumac
• 500 g basmati rice
• 0.3 g saffron threadsbloomed
• 40 g butter
• 6 piece tomatoessmall, for grilling

Method

1. Grate onion finely, then squeeze it in

   Grate onion finely, then squeeze it in a cloth until very dry. Mix onion with lamb, beef, salt and pepper and knead the mixture firmly for 5 minutes until sticky and cohesive. Chill 30 minutes.

   Look for: very dry Tip: Squeeze onion ruthlessly dry and knead until the mince becomes tacky enough to cling to your hand. Avoid: Wet onion makes the meat fall from skewers, insufficient kneading prevents cohesion and low heat dries meat before browning.

2. Prepare rice using the Persian parboil-and-steam method

   Prepare rice using the Persian parboil-and-steam method: soak, boil until al dente, drain, then steam 35–40 minutes with butter and a little saffron water.

   Look for: al dente, drain, then steam 35–40 minutes with butter and a little saffron water

3. Wet your hands and press meat evenly

   Wet your hands and press meat evenly around wide flat metal skewers in long ridged cylinders. Pinch at intervals to create the traditional finger marks and secure the ends tightly.

4. Grill skewers over very hot charcoal or

   Grill skewers over very hot charcoal or under a fierce grill, turning after the meat surface has set. Frequent early turning can make soft koobideh fall from the skewer.

5. Grill tomatoes alongside until blistered and softened

   Grill tomatoes alongside until blistered and softened. Cook kebabs 6–8 minutes total until browned, juicy and fully cooked in the centre.

   Look for: blistered and softened

6. Slide meat from skewers over rice, brush

   Slide meat from skewers over rice, brush with melted butter if desired and dust with sumac. Serve with grilled tomatoes and raw onion.

   Look for: Kebabs are browned outside, no longer pink at the centre and remain juicy when cut.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.